While many studies have found that being in a happy marriage has its benefits, including giving a person a sense of belonging and security, alleviating stress and enhancing mental health, a new study finds that married people are 50% more likely to develop dementia.
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The new study, which was published in March this year (2025), found that unmarried adults – including divorced and widowed individuals – were at lower risk of developing Dementia, Alzheimer’s or Lewy body dementia, as compared to their married counterparts.
This study was carried out by Selin Karakose and her colleagues at Florida State University.
“Single people may have a greater variety of interesting & unique experiences”
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While it isn’t definitive why unmarried people were at a lower risk of cognitive decline, the researchers strongly believe that it is due to single people being better at maintaining their social ties.
Karakose’s colleague explained that, “Never-married individuals are also more likely to socialise with friends and neighbours and are more likely to engage in healthier behaviours than their married counterparts.”
In a nutshell, these positive aspects of well-being and social ties may potentially serve as protective factors against dementia over time. The study found this to be true regardless of participants’ gender or age.
Married people are “less self-reliant”
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Karakose’s colleague also added that, “Married individuals tend to have less social integration and are engaged in less frequent and lower-quality interactions in their networks compared to their unmarried counterparts. These positive aspects of well-being and social ties may potentially serve as protective factors against dementia over time.”
In an interview with MedPage Today, Karakose also pointed out that married people tend to be less self-reliant and may experience stressful conditions such as caregiving, all of which can contribute to a higher risk of dementia.
The study also found that people in unhappy marriages were more likely to have equal or worse health and mortality risk compared to people who are widowed, divorced or never married.
This study was carried out on 24,107 older adults aged between 50 and 104 years, over a span of 18 years.
So… is marriage a good idea?
While this study may not seem like good news for married or soon-to-marry couples, it’s worth noting that many studies in the past have consistently highlighted the benefits of a happy and healthy marriage on overall brain health, mental well-being, and a sense of security.
Ultimately, the key to a healthy brain and a good life, whether married or single, lies in a well-balanced lifestyle that prioritises strong social ties, personal well-being, and a continuous engagement with all that life has to offer!
What do you think of these findings?
